House of Caradus - Season 1

The House of Caradus was once a prosperous and respected business, but it is now facing financial trouble. In the opening episode, the Caradus family are shocked to hear that their debts are mounting and that only a large influx of lucrative new business can save them from bankruptcy.

The family stage their most ambitious auction yet but with rich pickings around there are plenty sharp operators looking for a killing. A local aristocrat enlists the help of the House of Caradus when he needs money. The local aristocrat visits the House of Caradus to raise money to offset family expenses. A break at last for ailing House of Caradus, Lord Alvington, an impoverished peer hammered by inflation and taxation, has decided to sell off some of the family heirlooms and the Caradus firm will handle the highly lucrative sale. Victor and Helena decide to set up the sale in Alvington House itself thereby increasing the value of the of the objects. But are they big enough to attract bidders?

Lionel Caradus, free-spending. womanising younger member of the House of Caradus, does not contribute much to the financial well-being of the firm. But this time he has come upon a real treasure. Lionel finds a secret drawer in the home of a wealthy widow. It holds a valuable ancient manuscript. When news reaches London the big dealers move in for the kill.

Lionel and Helena Caradus take time off from their auctioneering business to congratulate their mother her sixtieth birthday. Victor, Ruth, Helena and Lionel gathered together for Violet's birthday. Victor gives Violet a brass coal scuttle, which Helena had hoped to give to her mother. There is thus some tension when Violet shows a great deal of liking for the object. In the meantime, Violet's maid, Ettie, is worried when she finds leftover coal in the scuttle for there's a belief that it is unlucky. It seems to mean that the previous owner died before they could finish the coal.
 

The family firm of auctioneers finds itself threatened by all sorts of outside interests. Big firms encroach on Caradus's territory and at the other end of the scale are the knockers. The "knockers" and a big-time auction firm threaten to put the House of Caradus off for good. It begins with the "knockers" (house-to-house callers who force owners to part with their treasures at low prices) picking on Mr Croft, an old friend of Helena's. Croft turns to Helena and she promises to keep a lookout for the items, among them a pretty Worcester figure of a girl in a blue dress. Things look bleak when Lionel gets news that Blofeld, a London auction firm, is moving  into Chester to conduct an antiques surgery whereby people could bring their valuables for evaluation. Thus Helena, Lionel and Victor plan to discredit Blofeld before it can establish itself and take away some of the Caradus business.

When wealthy local landowner James Laverock invites Victor and Helena Caradus to view a 16th century painting,  the Caradus family wonder if their business is about to acquire a generous slice of its auction value. But the wealthy landowner is trying to deceive Victor and Helena into auctioning a fake 16th Century painting.

The House of Caradus is attracting a takeover bid. Victor and Helena have mixed feelings about selling the family's auction business to go their individual ways. Luke Hussey is finally employed at the firm, and his first chore is to organise a picture sale.